Well, another college wrestling season is in the books. It always seems like it flies by and then you realize how far back November was and you remember how long it really is. We were probably in about week nine of the football season. Halloween candy was still strewn about. The World Series just ended. Ok, you get my point. We go to witness all the heartbreak and triumph. We started out with 17-year-old high school kids tearing up open tournaments and ended with teammates making history by both winning their fourth title. Personally, I thought it was an excellent season with a final tournament to match. So, let's talk about it! 

15 years from now, you look back and think about the 2023-2024 season, what’s gonna stick out to you? Dysen Gould 

Well, the Brock Hardy incident certainly “sticks out” for me right now and years down the road. I can’t remember 15 minutes ago, so I seriously doubt I’ll remember Vance Vombaur placing from the #26 seed. Or Shane Griffith coming back from 5-0 in the quarters. I doubt I’ll remember Parker Keckeisen going bonus all the way through. Or the Chairgate incident between Mekhi Lewis and Ben Pasiuk. I probably won’t recall Mason Beckman making Daniel Cormier nearly quit on live television. Hopefully, I’ll forget Virginia Tech ruining the perfect Jagger Night record. But I will remember that spladle for the rest of my life. 

Who never technically won NCAA’s but is a national champion in the Jagger personal record book? Rhino 

That would be you, my friend. You’re a great man. I drunkenly called you on Christmas Eve last year and you loved it. But also, Peyton Robb for what he went through just to come back this year and get on the podium again. And Trent Hidlay for being not only a beast but everything you want in a wrestler and teammate. Austin Gomez for never giving up on his dreams and never holding back out there on the mat. Now he’s earned a trip to the Olympics this summer because of it. And Kevin Claunch for having the guts to wear a sun hat. All champions in my book. 

How much are we booing Fix at the Olympic Team Trials? Personally, I'm trying to sound like the ghost of 2nd places past every time he steps on the mat. Thicccolas 

Oh, come on now. I’m probably as guilty as anyone is when it comes to goofing on his longevity, but it’s all in fun. The man is an exceptional wrestler. Over a seven-year run, Daton has five conferences, five AA’s, four finals appearances, multiple Senior world teams, a Senior world finals appearance, and a Junior world title. In an era where guys compete less and less, Daton Fix just never stopped. Yeah, things seemed to take a weird turn last week in all his matches. But he might deserve some applause for everything he has accomplished in his career. Or boo him. I don’t care. You bought the ticket and this is America last I checked. 

Which outfit was your favorite? Rachel Gallardo 

I admit I’m partial to the red sweatpants that Earl busted out on Saturday night to honor the Tiger Woods Sunday red. 

Can the Jays get 90 wins this year? Eric Asselin 

You do have 28 games against the Yankees and Boston. I’m sure you can conjure up 62 more wins somewhere. Daniel Vogelbach is worth at least ten wins by himself. 

Will Danny Burgers be an All-Star this year? IndianaMat 

You just saw me say the guy will lead Toronto to 90 wins. I’m expecting MVP votes.

Which school with a coaching opening is the best job? Luke Wise 

I feel it’s pretty even between CMU and Buffalo with the slight edge to CMU. I just hope both schools give their best effort in looking for the next guy. With so many great coaches in the land and so few D1 jobs, you have more than enough candidates. Hire the guy who is the best fit and not because he went undefeated in his career or something. That stuff never works. 

And now to close out the regular season mailbag we take it to the newcomer of the year and his never-ending run of questions. Once more, take us home, Burger King of Kings. 

Who's the coolest wrestling person you've interacted with on Twitter? 

Old School Wrestling Clips. His rizz level is Anakin Skywalker class. I’ve never seen anything like it.

Do you save my unanswered questions, or do you need me to resubmit?

It would behoove you to resubmit them. 

Who are you going to challenge in street league 2024? 

Not Jesse Mendez. Possibly Hijo de JL Vice. Idiot troll, I bet he says hi to my face. 

Favorite delay/challenge brick of the tournament? 

I loved all the delays in the 133 final. I don’t care who knows it. I‘m sure it was awful in the arena but it was perfect from the couch. First off, we were only the third match in so the crowd was properly buzzed to just be raucous. Add in all the online takes and opinions and the fact that this is a common occurrence in Fix matches and it was pure anarchy. 

Well, that’s going to do it for this week’s bag. Soon I’ll pick the third annual All-Jagger team that still has no actual criteria. Hey, it’s the highest honor we got.

Was Dean Peterson upsetting Matt Ramos the highlight of your postseason? Madison Hollenbeck 

That and whatever wizardry Yonger Bastida pulled off on one leg in the Big 12 finals. Seriously, I’m still blown away by how he did that. But Dean’s run was a perfect microcosm of what that weight has been all year. Beat two guys who beat you this year with one being the top seed. Then drop a match to a guy you’ve beaten twice in the last year. Then drop another match on the backside just to come back and beat another guy who beat you this year. It’s 125 in a nutshell. As we know, anyone can beat anyone at this weight. It’s just a matter of who can do it five times in a row. As my man the Bronx Lawyer Will Forero once said, someone is going to win the title whether they like it or not. 

Who will be the biggest surprise AA this year? Jim Dutrow 

Give me the same guy who was the biggest surprise to win a conference tournament and that’s Nick Hamilton of Virginia. I admit 165 is a tough weight but that's what makes it such a surprise. Now, the guy got hit with a 30-seed even with the conference title, so the road could be a little rough. My other darkhorse is Lewis Fernandes. I’d like to see the big guy close out his career with a nice run. 

How many All-Americans will come from NJ? Mike Abromitis 

There’s a good seven or eight guys who can get on the podium I think. Or it could be two guys at 174. I would set the over/under at 4.5. 

Do most wrestlers hate basketball, or is it just me? Burger King of Kings 

I think they mostly just hate you. They see you asking FRL questions and Jag bag questions and they are not happy. Playing one side against the other, in bed with everybody and they are not happy. But seriously, I don’t think wrestlers hate basketball as much as the fans might. And I’m not even sure how much that’s a thing anymore. I like basketball. I don't

watch it regularly but no animosity here. Fans just want everyone to love their sport and basketball is a hugely popular sport that competes with wrestling directly. Who cares. Get over it. 

If the NCAA wrestling tournament is going to allow inj def/MFF (Starocci, Griffith,etc) then why no Last Chance? Your boss poo-poo'd me but hear me out: If you don't finish the conference then you have to qualify at NCAA last chance during the gap week. Thicccolas 

It sounds fun, in theory, but we know it’s just not feasible. These guys got hurt. You can’t expect them to wrestle the next week and try to earn a spot that they already earned. Shane Griffith got hurt in the semifinals. I think that warrants a qualifying spot without having to wrestle in the finals. 

As far as I know (AFAIK for the kids), the humans on the seeding committee have the power to modify what the computer spits out by up to 3 spots in either direction. Should they have more expansive powers to adjust the seeds? Less? Oldest and Greatest 

I suppose that seems fair. The problem with mixing computer data with human common sense is trying to find that perfect balance between machine and man. Perhaps they did move Carter Starocci up three spots and ninth was the best they could do. Or maybe they could have dropped him down a spot the tenth just to separate all the champs in the top half of the bracket. Of course, they could have just stuck him as the top seed on principle and adjusted the field accordingly. But then set a precedent for guys to not even bother with their conference tournament because the committee says don't worry we won’t screw you. It’s just a tricky situation that was exacerbated by the fact that the wrestler involved happens to be such a dominant force in his weight class. 

How many BBQ restaurants will Willie try and which one will he like best? Gman 

Depends which one you’re taking him to. Rumor is that Willie always pays so it would behoove you to track him down and have a few beers. He might even hire you! How do you think I got this gig?

Will the Eagles win the Super Bowl now that Saquon Barkley is on the right team? Kevin McGuigan 

I’m getting big DeMarco Murray vibes with this one. Also, it’s baseball season. 

Alright, folks. Time to wrap this up. I hope you all have a good weekend and that you get your affairs in order. One week from right now is the quarterfinals. The greatest round in all of sport.

It’s the greatest weekend in college wrestling and you have a lot to do so I won’t even waste time here. Plenty of questions so let’s jump right in! 

What are the minimum wrestlers PSU could use and still win the Big Ten? Could they win with only seven guys if they wanted to? (133,141,157,165,184,197,285) Dabreadyi 

They have a hard enough winning the conference tournament with a full squad. I swear it’s like Memphis Raines trying to steal Eleanor. Something always goes wrong. Ok, maybe not always, but it is oddly a thing. But I doubt we see an issue this year even if Starocci can’t go. But yeah, I could see just that seven being enough if you get five champs out of it. 

Should I change out of my tournament khakis for the SoCon finals? Rachel Gallardo, SoCon correspondent 

Of course, you should! Khakis are your work clothes and you’re putting in a day’s work covering the matches. The finals is an event and should be treated like the Met Gala. Personally, I like to look as haggard as possible on most days so it’s a bigger surprise when I have to style it up. I tend to get told I clean up well a lot. And have fun! Tell Levi Hopkins I need a title for my fantasy team! 

Tips for someone attending their first conference tournament! Morgan Hackney 

I don’t know, I‘ve never been to one! But apparently, khakis are the ideal fit for such a long day. And much like our girl Rachel at the SoCon, the InterMat honeymooners of Morgan and James Hackney have you covered on all things Big 12, so go check them out. The Rolling Stones also recently put out an album called Hackney Diamonds which has nothing to do with this at all, but I’m just stalling until the next question. Tell Troy Spratley I need a title for my fantasy team! 

We all know #JaggerVision is going to be up all weekend, but what is the setup looking like? How do you decide what goes on the center screen? Fantasy Championship Wrestling

For tourney season it’s all about economy and utilizing your space so the biggest screen gets a quad box. Most likely I’ll go with the B12 there and spread the B10 mats across the other four screens. Then I’ll throw what’s left on the computer and tablet devices for quick access when there’s a match I want to see. The start times are all staggered quite nicely where you don’t get overwhelmed by everything at once. The ACC being only on Sunday is a big help and fills the gaps between medal rounds. In total, I can probably get about 16 mats running at once> Will I watch all 16? I doubt it. Will I stare at my phone the entire time and miss all the action? There’s a high probability of that. 

Who are the most Jersey representatives in each conference that we should watch for? Kevin Claunch 

Hmm, let me go take a look. The EIWA is loaded with Jersey guys because we’re all Ivy-level brains over here. Certainly, all eyes will be on Luke Stanich and if he can continue his superb true freshman season. Likely an all-Jersey final with Ungar if the seeds hold true. Joey Zargo has had a solid year for Wisconsin and has a chance to finish above his seed at 149 in the Big Ten as the field is pretty open after Lovett and Gomez. The ACC seems to have Vincent Santaniello as our only rep besides the great Mekhi Lewis. I’m also claiming Trent Hidlay because he has family here and we have the best sandwiches. It’s a natural fit. But wait! We’ve also got Dylan Cedeno out there for my man Steve Garland in Virginia! The Big 12 seems to be severely lacking Jersey guys and that makes sense since we don’t like to be landlocked. In the MAC, I’d like to see Quinn Kinner finish strong and not get Munson’d in the middle of nowhere. 

What is the non-Big Ten weight that Jagger is most looking forward to during the conference tournament weekend? Rhino 

Easily 141, at the ACC tournament. Check out Robbie Wendell’s preview for more but you have four guys and can win or lose to each other on any given night. It should be interesting. 

Who is Jagger picking to win each of the seven conference tournaments? Dan Seifring

All 70 weights or the seven team champs? It doesn’t matter because I simply don’t have an answer for you. Have you seen my record in the picks contest? The idea that someone pays for my expertise is baffling. 

Jags, my charming friend, with U Jamestown leaving the NAIA for the NCAA, the NAIA Women’s Tournament (where the headgear is optional but the thrills are not) needs a new home. Where in the best wrestling state would you put the best college freestyle tournament? Salty Walkon 

Marietta, Georgia seems like the right fit if you ask me. We need more southern exposure and Life U has earned the right to host with the success they’ve had over the years. Earl has noted how much he enjoyed the WCWA tournament when it was run by Life back in the day.

From my wife: "What will Jagger do for questions when you have to go back to work?" Burger King of Kings 

Whoa, whoa, whoa. You can’t leave now. It’s about to enter the slow period and I need content. You could even get an entire mailbag all to yourself at some point. Keep those questions in drafts for future use. 

Did the Ivy League make a mistake breaking away from the EIWA? Mike Abromitis 

I don’t think so. But it will take time to know for sure. I only hope it leads to all the Ivy schools fielding a team, but I know that’s wishful thinking. 

Well, that’s it. Get your affairs in order and get your screens up. The postseason is here which is a bit sad since it means the end of the season is near. Don’t forget to check the streaming guide for start times!

Well, I’m back. Don’t ask. Let’s just say that February hasn’t exactly been kind to me. But now it’s March and that’s all behind me. So I tried to put on a Willy Wonka exhibit that failed miserably. It happens. Just move on. Somehow this edition became very heavy on New Jersey and that’s not my fault. I don’t think we got one question from someone not from the Garden State. Let’s find out! 

What made nj.com finally decide to stream states for free all of a sudden? I’ll hang up and listen…bye. Brandon from New Jersey 

Yeah, and thanks for the call. I thought they were free the last few years after a couple years of turbulent broadcasts that started with an awful year where it was on Track. I don’t want to rip anyone here, but you had eight mats and could only log in on one browser at a time. How was I supposed to navigate eight tabs at once? Especially when every time I did, it would take 30 seconds to load or I might have to sign in again at times. I don’t know why this question reminded me of that but it did. The next year it returned to its original home but under a new format that at least does the job. My only issue is that there’s no app for streaming devices so it’s either mirror the screen or use one of those awful web browsers they give you. At any rate, it’s still awesome and if you're reading this when it comes out, then the quarterfinals are only in an hour or so. Watch it! It’s free! 

What are your favorite conference tournament memories from over the years? Also, what are your least favorite conference tournament memories from over the years? Also, do you have any indifferent memories? Don’t share those last ones. They seem boring. Kevin Claunch from New Jersey 

It has to be the six Big Ten champs from New Jersey in 2019. It really was pretty cool and a culmination of a decade’s worth of really high-level guys coming out of the state. Just think, Sebastian Rivera and Anthony Cassar were probably the least recruited of the bunch and they beat the two biggest prospects of the decade in Spencer Lee and Gable Steveson. One is an Olympic champ and the other may be one in a few months. Do I have any indifferent memories? Probably when Michigan won the conference tournament a few years ago. Totally indifferent to it. Forgot it even happened. Seems everyone else did, too. My least favorite moment was something our next guest had to deal with personally. 

This week, @bryanhazard retired from coaching. The @GMUWrestling Hall of Famer had an illustrious coaching career at Robinson High School. Did you know that the frequently used cross-arm tilt is called “The Hazard” in many parts of the country? Kevin McGuigan from New Jersey 

Well, I did not know that. But a congrats is in order for the hazardous one on behalf of InterMat for his 28 years in coaching. You are free to go polish a boat in Mexico until you spot a barefoot Jason Bryant in the distance walking towards you. 

Since Big Tens are driving distance to Maryland this year, do we get #JaggerSession? No, I am not broadcasting this time. Only NJ states remain! Nick Kosko from New Jersey 

Driving distance for you maybe but I’m at the top of the state! It’s nearly four hours away! But seriously, I simply can’t make it. Home duties have me tied up at the moment so it’s Jaggervision all weekend here. And you bloody should be announcing it! They have multiple mat streams so I don’t see why each mat can have someone on the mic. Folks, if you haven’t watched Rutgers on Big Ten Plus (or Penn, Princeton, and various sports in the Atlantic County area) my man Nick has emerged as the voice of New Jersey sports. If we can’t get him next week in Maryland, then the NJ State Tournament is a fitting sendoff to the Winter of Kosko. I also caught him headbanging to System Of A Down seconds before the start of the Wisconsin dual a few weeks ago. Total pro. 

Should the NCAA finals go in weight order prior to the main event or mix the order further to build it like a fight/pro wrestling card? Rhino from New Jersey 

Oh, without a doubt like a fight card. It should’ve happened years ago. I don’t see the reason why not to do it. You’re going to confuse the fans and they won’t know the order? Please. I know the world is getting dumber by the day, but we’re not that bad yet. Just put a little graphic with the order with the rest of the graphics on the crawl. You don’t want to insult the wrestlers by saying they don't have a marquee matchup? The wrestlers should have bigger things to worry about anyway. Then at least put the top three or five matches last and do the rest in order. Is this the key to the sport breaking out? Of course not. But it builds excitement as the night goes on. It’s called quality television. I’ll teach you about it.

Jags, my wise friend, O/U on AA's in Kansas City from NJ colleges is 2.5. Where is the smart (your) money going? Salty Walkon from New Jersey 

First off, my money is never smart. I’m a terrible gambler. But the number does seem to be on point. Rider and Princeton would need someone to get hot and sneak one in or you’re relying on Rutgers getting three in there. I’d still take the over because I’m a mark and want to cheer for my guys. 

Did Oklahoma State fumble the bag or did Iowa jump levels after the thorough ass-kicking from Penn State? JD Money from New Jersey 

Iowa won because they are simply a better team. Sure, they’ve had a weird year, but that was expected. They’re still the second-best team in my opinion and a performance like that is just what the doctor ordered for the Hawkeyes to have a solid postseason. Penn State has reached an absurd height of dominance right now. You know they will have six to eight guys in the semifinals on Friday night. All you can do is try to get there and beat them. Anything can happen in March. That’s why they wrestle the matches. 

Once again, we’ve reached the Burger King of Kings from New Jersey portion of the mailbag. Since we’re nearly out of time, I chose a fee to answer in rapid fire. 

Have you been to Iowa? Would you come to a dual here? 

No and yes. I’m told it’s the only way to truly understand Iowa fans. You must walk the streets of Iowa City 

Is it pronounced "Rut-geers" or "Rut-gahs"? 

Definitely Rutgahs. The trick is to say it almost like one syllable as gruff as you can. That’s Jersey perfection.

What Jersey piece of culture is the rest of the country sleeping on? 

Gas station attendants. I seriously don’t know how this isn't a thing in literally the rest of the country. 

How do you talk to nonwrestling people to get them to come to a dual? 

Promise them punch and pie.

This week, Jagger decided to change things up for the mailbag! Instead of its customary written format, it'll be in video form. Topics addressed are Olympic redshirts, his introduction to college wrestling, wrestling snacks, Trent Hidlay in a Royal Rumble, MMA, the all-important question, "Is Jagger a Swiftie?" and more. 

Have fun, subscribe to our YouTube channel and let Jagger know what you think about the video format.

Welcome back, all. Sorry about missing last week but some things came up, so my crawl to 100 mailbags took a little pit stop. Some say I ducked but I assure you I was banged up and Earl needs to rest me for the stretch run. I only have so many words in me and it would be foolhardy to use them in the middle of January. But I managed to scrape some together this week like the grinder that I am and you can read them now. Such a strange thing that we live in a world of text now and nobody seems to actually speak to each other anymore. Yet we listen to podcasts and watch people play video games for some reason. Tell you what, growing up in my day when you had to watch your brother play a video game for however long and patiently wait your turn, you’d take umbrage with that whole industry like I do. But that’s neither here nor there. Let’s do some questions. 

Going weight by weight and seeing how many wrestlers each conference has in the top 10, how close would you say the B12 and others are to catching the B10? Is the gap closing? Jayson Hildreth 

Fine, I’ll crunch the numbers. Ok, numbers crunched. And I’m not exactly sure what to make of them. It seems the B12 has a pretty solid stronghold on the upper weights with four guys ranked in the top ten at 165, 184, and 285. Three at 197 and only two at 174 puts 17 out of 50 overall for the guys who wrestle after intermission. So just about one-third. That’s not bad. The lightweights only clock in with two at each weight, except 141, which has four. Since I have no other data to compare to, or don’t feel like searching for, it’s hard to tell if a gap has been closed. But it does seem like it. Missouri is as good as anybody in the non-PSU division, Iowa State has reemerged as a powerhouse, Oklahoma State is Oklahoma State, and UNI and South Dakota State are no one to be trifled with. It certainly feels like a more well-rounded conference right now than the Big Ten. I’ll admit that much. I also admit that a few Big Ten teams seem a bit down this year on account of injuries and transfers. Should be fun to see how things shake out in about two months. 

Who does wrestling Twitter hate the most: AJ Ferrari, Jimmy Cinnabon, or all the ducks? I'll hang up and quack now. Thicccholas 

Depends on the week. I actually don’t see much chatter on the X about Cinnabon, nor do I know if he’s out there somewhere. Jimmy certainly gets them riled up on the forum, though. If you know, you know. If you don’t, go check out the forum just a click away at the top of the page. But finish reading this first. 

I’m not doing Ferrari today. There’s just nothing more to discuss right now. We will go through the motions again next year. 

It’s definitely the ducking situation for lack of a better term. I try to give the benefit of the doubt when it happens but it seems to be getting tougher to justify. The good news is that the lack of marquee matchups during the regular season makes March just that much more exciting. 

Jags, my brilliant friend, it's been over 46 years since the last @RUWrestling vs Florida dual. When are those golf cart jockeys going to give us a chance to settle the score? Salty Walkon 

They’d have to get a team first. So…never? Shocking that I wasn’t alive when that happened since I’ve been alive for almost everything. But seriously, there’s no reason why the entire state of Florida can’t have a good three D1 teams at least. I bet they wouldn’t even have to travel. Every team would just want to go there instead. 

What is the significance of 712 to you? Are you actually representing western Iowa area code, 712? Best unorthodox bracket format for 125 this year? Best of 3 finals, round robin. Do we include feats of strength, Dance offs, or slam poetry readings to crown 125? Burger King of Kings 

No significance at all. But I dig that it’s an area code in Iowa. Many moons ago in the early days of the internet, I needed an email so I chose Jagger711. Jagger because I’d occasionally crush some Coors Lights and start doing Mick Jagger impressions. 711 was for our family’s race car number. Then for some reason, I needed another email and just went one number up. As the 21st century went on and we needed usernames for everything from online poker to Xbox, it just became my de facto name. That’s it. That’s the story. Truly exhilarating stuff. As far as 125 is concerned, there’s only one answer. Royal Rumble. 33 enter, one leaves with the belt. Speaking of which… 

How is anyone going to get Omos over the top rope?????? Rhino 

It’s Rumble weekend! Look, I know there's still some beef from the real wrestling crowd to the scripted stuff, but the Rumble is fun. It’s the only WWE event I even watch anymore. And we have a pool going! I dropped 30 Willie bucks for three lousy numbers where one will certainly be Omos. Then the announcers will act like he can win because he’s seven feet tall and I’ll get all excited before he inevitably gets eliminated by Rey Mysterio or a nostalgia entrant like The Sandman or something. I’ll still pop for it. 30 pops, baby! Go nuts for every guy no matter what!

Don't want to talk about "hot seats", Some coaches are reaching retirement age. Gable retired at 50, Nichols at 68. Does John Smith (58), Brands (55), Manning (65?), Koll (58?), Dresser (61), Zeke (57), retire first? Burger King of Questions 

You would think Manning strictly by age but who knows. I just feel like it’s a new generation and these guys don’t feel as old as their age would indicate. I don’t feel as old as my age indicates. It’s just the times we live in. And do they want to retire anytime soon? Each one of them has put in a lifetime of work to get to where they are. It’s what they do. It’s how they’re programmed. Other than maybe John Smith, I can see all these guys doing it until they’re 70 and riding off into the sunset. Which is exactly what I’m going to do right now. Have a great weekend!

As we finish the second week of the new year, It seems the Starks are right and winter is coming for us all. I hope you all stay safe and warm. But before that, enjoy the musings of a guy who has no idea what he’s talking about. 

Which college head coaches have the most exciting and most boring press conversations (post-competition, press conference, etc) and why? Thicccolas 

Cael's are clearly the most boring, but in a tactical way, He’s the closest thing to recently departed Browns/Jets/Patriots coach Bill Belichick as we have in this sport. Everyone knows that Tom Brands is good for some quotes. I like listening to Tom Ryan. He has a comfortable way about him that I assume works like a charm when it comes to recruiting. Doug Schwab used to sit down with the announcer for like 20 minutes after a dual. I thought that was pretty cool and hope he still does that. Goodale is good and sounds like he could segue right into explaining how his crew is going to rip up your street for the next two weeks to put in a new gas line. Dresser is fantastic and as open as it gets. I don’t know why I only watch coaches from Iowa. I blame Stalemates. 

With Frank Beasley and Tony Skinn does George Mason have the best basketball and wrestling coach combo? Richard Mann 

That can’t be a real name. That’s awesome if it is. Frank Beasley is also a cool name. Like a hard-boiled, old-school detective or something, calling everyone a dame. I need a buddy cop show called Beasley and Skinn. Then they will be the best coaching combo and crime-solving combo. 

For the Sopranos 25th anniversary, what’s Jagger’s favorite episode? FCW 

I’m not sure I have a single favorite episode. The whole show is like a concept album to me. 

Look, we all love the “Pine Barrens” episode. It’s the easiest choice and probably the only name of an episode that anyone remembers. Season five is probably my favorite of all the seasons. The Class of ‘82 gets released from prison and in turn, the show finally goes full mafia until Tony’s fate is left undetermined in front of a bowl of onion rings. I actually sat at that table and ate onion rings once because I’m a total mark. What’s most important about the show for me is that I lived in the middle of it as a young adult. For many of us in North Jersey, it’s a time capsule of an era that we grew up in. We all know the locations. Many of us have likely seen or met most of the actors somewhere. Heck, I worked for a woman who dated Gandolfini in high school. Oh, it also became the most critically acclaimed show of all time. But for the folks here, it belongs to us. And it always will. 25 years you say? Don’t stop believin’ I say. 

Will The Polar Bear, Nebraska's Football Defensive Lineman/ Heavyweight Grappler, Nash Hutmacher, be the surprise story of the Big Ten this season? Mike Abromitis 

He might be! Just a fascinating situation. This isn’t just some pretty good high school wrestler deciding to give it another try. Nash was a beast. Probably still is a beast. The trenches in the Big Ten kept him plenty acclimated with scrapping with giant dudes. And like that it’s possible he gets thrust into a situation where the dual is on the line tonight against Iowa. You gotta love it. 

Jags, my brilliant friend, it's the middle of summer (Sunday, not a holiday weekend) and the Jagette wants a day at the shore. What beach do you go to? Salty Walkon 

I loathe the beach. But, if I did then it would be Ortley Beach since the family has a place there. I should go there this year. It’s been a while. 

Who is Penn State's toughest dual match-up? JD Money 

I have to say Ohio State because they match up the best through the first four weights. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Buckeyes can run out to a 12-0 lead before Levi Haines kicks off a run of six straight hammers, who are nearly impossible to beat. Will that happen? Probably not. But it can. Does that make OSU the number two team in the country? Not necessarily. But they do seem to match up the best in my eyes. 

First time, long time. Jags, do you think we need more heels in the sport? I'll hang up and listen. Noah Khonkey 

Sure, why not. But keep it fun. Thomas Gilman never had to hit the double birds to draw heat. He’d just walk into the other team’s huddle. 

And now we’ve reached the Burger King of Kings portion of the show. King, take us home.

Headgear is unless in matches. What other useless accessories should be part of the mandatory uniform? Stirrup legging singlets? Tutu? Tattoos? 

Luchador Masks 

Bowling Shoes 

Bobbie Socks 

Sequin Robes 

1987 Gibbons wins NCAAs as a coach, age 27. 1992 Gibbons "retires" to become a financial advisor. If (pick your coach) retired tomorrow, what non-wrestling job would they be good at? Tom Brands: recess attendant; Terry Brands: sunglasses model 

Mark Branch: cattle rancher 

Kevin Dresser: snowblower salesman 

Tony Robie: Vegas muscle 

Sean Bormet: Vegas muscle’s twin brother 

Is NJ the "Florida" of New England? Iowa is a thinking man's Missouri. 

I don’t even know what that means. Unless it means Bill Belichick is headed south to coach the Jets. 

On that note, have a good weekend. There are enough duals this weekend to hold up in divorce court.

Well, that was some ending to 2023, eh? We had all kinds of excitement, drama, Zapruder-like video breakdowns, and even some inappropriate images. And that was just the Soldier Salute finals! But now it is 2024 and we have an entire second half of the season to get worked up about. We can say goodbye to the burden of trying to floor tournaments as it’s mostly all duals for the next 

two months. But fear not, tournament fans. There are still some open tournaments this weekend, including the much-anticipated Bongo Bayly going on somewhere in the land. But before that, it’s time to get cracking on the first mailbag of the new year! I swear, I‘ll hit my hundredth mailbag this year then probably ride off into the sunset. Double birds blazing. (Just kidding I’m not going anywhere) 

In honor of 2024, pick a wrestler currently ranked 20th and a wrestler currently ranked 24th to make the podium in March. Salty Walkon 

An interesting enough question, so I’ll bite. After perusing the Intermat rankings, I found a few viable options here. Naturally, 125 has two good options in Troy Spratley and Diego Sotelo. With the way that weight is going, anyone can do anything. I also like Josh Koderhandt and Danny Fongaro at 141 but that class has a solid top six and could be hard to penetrate. But if this was a fantasy draft and we were all picking one from each rank then I’m going with Cody Chittum first overall. We know how talented he is so it’s just a question of whether he develops during the season or succumbs to the grind like many a true frosh before him. Give me Chittum as my 20 and Fongaro as my 24 and let’s do this. 

Why are there two ranks for one weight in women's wrestling? I saw a handful of weights on Iowa's team with two ranked wrestlers. JD Money 

Because of the metric system? But seriously, that is because the women’s National tournaments are allowed to have multiple team entries per weight. Thus, making anyone worthy of a ranking eligible whether they are technically a starter or not. 

Who would win in a match, Dan Gable or Jagger? Remember, Dan Gable is 75 years old and has an artificial hip so I’m only setting the line at Gable -14.5. Jkos11 

Remember, Jagger is 45 years old and on the fast track to two artificial lungs. Gable by a million. Unless I can hit him with a lefty headlock in the first 30 seconds.

My beautiful friend, it's the New Year and several of PSU's big hitters have only a handful of matches... Any concerns the workload management has gone too far? Saltier Walkon 

Not really, And I’m certainly not going to argue with the coaching methods of one Cael Sanderson. But it does feel like Penn State has been MIA this year. It’s like Phil Hellmuth walking into the World Series of Poker 45 minutes late. He’s just not worried about it. Cael has a veteran team who know how to prepare themselves throughout the season. Plus, a good handful of Nittany Lions were supposed to compete at Senior Nationals until ultimately bowing out. Don’t worry, you'll see more than enough blue and white singlets come March than you’ll know what to do with. 

What's Jagger's favorite pro wrestling moniker and with word that pork rolls may be served at Rutgers @ VT next year, would Jagger make his appearance in Blacksburg for Pork Roll night? Ethan Aguigui 

See, you think you’re trolling me by stealing another Jersey gimmick after ruining Jagger Night. But you forgot one small detail. I’m a Taylor Ham man. You can’t troll me. It’s impossible. But I do like the way you guys do wrestling nicknames. Hit me with a Hunter Hearst Catka and I’ll pop. 

Do you think “Ferrari-ing” is going to become the new “planking?” Fantasy Championship Wrestling 

We can’t have guys pulling groins out there trying to go viral. It’s not worth it. Fongaro did it already. The joke has been made. And I’m certainly not one for repeating the same joke over and over. Couldn’t be me. 

What do you think of The Replacements? Oldest and Greatest 

The movie or the band? Doesn’t matter. Not a huge fan of either.

Good morning, folks. We are nearly two months into the college season and 125 is exactly the mess I said it would be. But that’s a problem for the Ranker’s Guild and not me. Plenty of questions from some heavy hitters in the wrestling industry today and time is of the essence so let’s jump right into it so you can get ready for Festivus tomorrow and air some grievances. 

Thoughts on the Ivy League going their own way as of 2024-25? Seton Hall Pirate 

It’s certainly interesting, but I hope it doesn’t have a negative impact on the EIWA with losing some marquee teams. I’ve always liked the idea of this wrestling-only conference that’s still going strong for well over 100 years. Perhaps we can fill the gaps with whatever is left of the PAC-12 and just absorb them into it. With the invention of the airplane by the Wright Brothers, the world has become a much smaller place. I’m sure the boys at Hofstra wouldn’t mind leaving Long Island for a California getaway in late January. I also hope it can open the doors for a Yale or a Seton Hall to bring back a wrestling program and join any of these conferences. Wishful thinking, I know. The best thing to do is break off some teams from the MAC and even it out a bit. 

Will InterMat hire another person to cover the new Ivy League tournament or just add it to Austin Sommer’s workload while increasing his pay? Kevin McGuigan 

Only if he uses the name Dallas WInter and ties a sweater around his neck. If you’re going to be the Ivy League guy then BE the Ivy League guy. Drive a BMW. Play croquet every Sunday. Join a yacht club. Live the gimmick. 

What criteria should be used in the best ranking systems? Here are ideas for things to be considered:

Hair 

Great hang 

Shoe size 

How many pull-ups they can do 

Can they dunk? 

Are their school’s singlets and warmups cool? 

Favorite movie 

Kevin Claunch 

You just made Sonny Sasso number one and he’s still in redshirt. I would also very much like to know how many wrestlers can actually dunk. I bet Trent Hidlay tries every single day and just doesn’t accept that he’s a wide-bodied defensive specialist built to pull down rebounds in the paint. 

For the love of god, what do we have to do to make duals matter all year? I think Goody and I have the best ideas. Why don't others see it? Nick Kosko 

Is your idea to put pork roll and Taylor Ham on the line for every dual? But seriously, I don’t have the answer. Richard Immel may have the answer with the ranking series angle he proposed last night on X (formerly known as Twitter) but I doubt it will ever get past the discussion stage. If this is about the lack of headline matches in duals, or what some people call ducking, I’m afraid you’re not going to change that with any type of new system or team championship. I try to stay away from the ducking term, because I’m just an average fan and I’m not privy to what’s going on behind the scenes. I get that guys are banged up and it is the coaches’ job to protect their guys at all costs. Mike Grey is not concerned that you paid ten bucks and didn't get to see a matchup between two star freshmen. Should he care? Maybe. Will he take heat from fans? Certainly. Will his job status be in jeopardy over it? Not a chance. It’s just the nature of the beast now and I don’t see the NCAA drastically changing the system so David Carr can get his win back. 

What is Jagger hoping to wake up Christmas morning to find under his tree? Dan Seifring 

I was going to say Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto in a Mets jersey, but before I could even spell-check his name the Dodgers (yes, those Dodgers) went and signed him along with every other player I coveted. That team is reaching Penn State levels of “This guy, too? Come on!” If only they knew how to win titles like Cael and the crew. 

Favorite Coquito flavor. Aaron Bartlett 

Coconut? Are there any other flavors? 

What are your thoughts on wrestlers counting byes as wins? Mike C. 

Is that really a thing? That can’t be true. You don’t even get your hand raised! I don’t even know what else to say except I’m going back to my high school hall of records and adding two more wins to my total. I realize we live in a world of fake overfiltered selfies, but I draw the line at fake wins. Get lost with that nonsense.

On that note, I’m out of things to say. I wish you all a wonderful Friday as we head into the holiday weekend and then the end of the year. I started watching college wrestling seriously in 2017 and never imagined I’d be writing to you about coquito and pork rolls at the end of 2023. America truly is the land of opportunity.

Good morning, friends. Plenty of questions came in this week so I won’t even waste any time boring you with some anecdote or some other nonsense. We have more important things to discuss. 

Like this… 

Is the custody of Jagger match the biggest college wrestling stipulation in the annals of history? DR Rhino 

I kind of think it has to be. The balance of power in New Jersey is on the line here. He who possesses the Jagger possesses all the power in the Garden State. Not to mention the pork roll/Taylor Ham debate potentially being settled here. Much like the Dead Rabbits, the term that loses shall never be uttered again in these parts. I don’t even know which side of the debate the teams are on. Neither team is North Jersey proper and Princeton is not even in the realm, whereas Rutgers can at least claim to be the mythical Central Jersey. But newly minted Tigers coach Joe Dubuque is a card-carrying native of the north and Rutgers skipper Scott Goodale is a Jersey Shore guy. Both teams have a mix of north and south guys plus some out-of-staters who are probably confused about the entire ordeal. But who cares. We’re New Jersey and we don’t have to make sense. We never have and we never will, but you love us anyway. 

Give me your hottest Bedlam take. Rachel Gallardo 

Like a wild take on it or just a general take while looking absolutely dapper? Either way, I don’t really have one. New Sooners coach Roger Kish gets his first taste of this storied rivalry so maybe he has something up his sleeve. Daton Fix gets about his ninth taste of the rivalry but his status is up in the air at the moment. That certainly helps Oklahoma though Reece Witcraft is a very capable backup. I only wish ESPN did a Sunday Dual of the Week on one of their channels and aired this one. Seriously, why don’t they do that? Put it on ESPN2 or ESPNU but help us out here! 

If you weren’t doing the job you’re doing now, what would you be doing? Raquel Gallardo 

My day job? I have no idea because I prefer to not work at all. Thirty years is enough already but I don’t see retirement in my future. The truth is, I’ve always wanted to entertain folks in some capacity, but never actually acted on it aside from goofing with my friends. And that’s why I enjoy doing this so much and am grateful for the opportunity that was given to me here. It may be small and maybe only like fifteen people read it, but you're my fifteen people. And you all let me fulfill a dream in some small way. When it’s all over and I’m dead or fired, I can at least say I did take a chance for once and someone out there enjoyed it. Seriously though, I have no idea how any of this happened.

We know what Willie’s watching, what is Jagger looking forward to watching this weekend? Dan Seifring 

Well, the opera wars are heating up on HBO’s The Gilded Age right now. Mrs. Astor is about to offer a deal to Bertha before she loses everyone to the new Metropolitan Opera House. Plus, the Pittsburgh strike seems to not be going away. But that's for Sunday Night. I also need to finish The Last Champion one of these days. I hear Jason Bryant has quite a love scene in the third act. And I suppose I’ll watch some wrestling in between. I like that Columbia is doing a weekend swing in Iowa. The Lions are spunky and should enjoy seeing some farmland instead of the usual harsh NYC streets. 

Is a singlet a good Christmas gift for a wife of 30 years? Mike Abromitis 

Not if you want to have a wife of 31 years. You’ll be dining at Lu Nello alone for the foreseeable future. 

Do you like Greco-Roman wrestling? Eric Asselin 

Sure, I respect it.

Jags, a kid just emailed me a fugazi excuse for missing class. The thing is, I had completely forgotten to turn in the attendance until I got the email. Should I turn in the cut? Salty Walkon 

Since I just completed nine seasons of Suits recently, I think I can answer like a lawyer would. Your evidence is inadmissible since it was not entered into discovery. Therefore, the kid is safe for now. I would give the little brat a stern talking to and let him or her know you’re on to them. 

Did Ben Askren ever get his cyber truck? Richard Anderson Mann 

Yeah, we’re not doing Ben Askren today, and thanks for the call. 

And with that, I think we’ll put a wrap on this week’s bag. Crap, did I even mention a wrestler for the lucky mailbag cover boy of the week? Last week, we saw Peyton Robb make the cover and win Outstanding Wrestler at the CKLV. Let’s go with Rider’s Quinn Kinner and see if the Broncs can knock off Wisconsin.

Welcome back all and I hope you all had a lovely holiday weekend even though the football was terrible. This will be a light mailbag since I’m not feeling too hot and only have a few questions that aren’t even wrestling-related. I’m not even sure how to work in a name so Earl can use a picture for the header. I’ll remedy that right now and so I can’t wait to see Peyton Robb back on the mat at the Calvin Klein Las Vegas in a few hours. I’ve yet to catch a Nebraska meet this year and I’m thrilled that the current All-Jagger 157 guy has recovered from all he’s been through. On that note, time to read the mail. 

Can you do audio responses to your questions this week? IndianaMat 

You mean like a podcast? Just answer all the questions on the air? I suppose I could and I can certainly elaborate more on the topics at hand since I’m not exactly a master of the written word. But what would the Jagoffs do on the bowl in the morning? Read about the real world? It’s way too depressing. 

As a person who has been in a long-term relationship, do you have any dating advice for Seton Hall Pirate? Willie “The Brain” Saylor 

Not really. Make them laugh. That’s all I can really offer. Women want a man that can make them laugh. So while you’re in Vegas, think of some funny one-liners for him to say and get Pirate his booty. Also, ladies don't like a guy who tries to correct them constantly and Pirate can be a little much with that. 

I just noticed today that our local sandwich guy has added “Taylor Ham” next to “Taylor Pork Roll” on the list of menu items. Not sure how to react to this. Any help would be much appreciated since I know there is no such thing as Taylor Ham. Kevin McGuigan 

Welcome to the revolution. You Philly guys should know a thing or two about that. We live in a world of extreme tolerance now and you just have to accept the fact that folks from North Jersey may travel to Philadelphia and we don’t want to feel ostracized by your strange lingo. Why am I even arguing this? The Taylor Ham/Pork Roll debate is a Jersey thing and not a Pennsylvania thing. This local sandwich guy deserves a statue if you ask me. 

Best "unorthodox" cig lighting technique? -Plumber torch-looks great, but burns up the cig. Gas stove? Ok. Electric stove? Looks pretty desperate. -are zippos still cool? -are matches too hipster? Burger King of Kings

Finally, someone is asking the right questions. There’s a lot going on here so I’ll try to cover it all without getting too long-winded. Let’s start with the torch. Unless you’re Scud in Blade 2 you shouldn’t even bother. It’s dangerous and stupid. Plus, Scud turned on Blade before getting blown up so no need to emulate that guy. Certainly, the gas stove is a tried and true method but it reeks of desperation and can also be dangerous. I’ve never used an electric stove, but I reckon it’s similar to the classic car lighter. You kids know them now as power adapters. Are matches too hipster? I suppose that can be true if you’re doing a neo-50’s greaser vibe or something. Now Zippos, that’s where it’s at. Probably the greatest invention in American history.

Before we begin the show, I just want to wish the happiest of birthdays to my man Earl Smith. Tonight’s VT-Rutgers matchup was actually supposed to be Earl Night, but he has a soccer game or something to go to. That mistake aside, I’m proud to call Virginia’s second favorite son not only my captain, but also my friend. So have a day, my man. You’ve earned it. Now let’s see if I can sneak an F Word in here somewhere. 

If Tom Brands ever decides to step down, who would Iowa need to go after to compete with PSU?? Who could they actually get? Dean Wrestling 

First off, I don’t think Tom Brands knows the words step down/retire/quit. But if there ever was to be a change, there’s no shortage of candidates of Hawkeye alumni. Spencer Lee has always been discussed as the future man in charge and I don’t disagree. But the point is moot for now because Brands is not going anywhere any time soon. 

Who is really #1 at 133? Madison Hollenbeck 

If you asked me 20 years ago I’d say Nelly. Because two is not a winner and three nobody remembers. But it’s not 20 years ago and there are no St. Lunatics here. By the time this hits the newsstands, you’ll have heard every argument about it and I’m not sure what else I can add to it except for what I’m about to say to the next question. For the record, I still think Vitali Arujau 

is the best wrestler at the weight until further notice. 

Are rankings just actually for clicks? Derek Conrad 

Well, I think everything is for clicks in some aspect. The point is to draw traffic to your site and sell ad space. As you can see, I have no ads because I write the dumbest column in the history of the sport. But rankings are just one person’s opinion and of course, it will vary from site to site. Flo has a formula they use and so does InterMat. WrestleStat has an algorithm that sometimes makes for some strange movement, but those guys constantly tinker to try and get it right. My advice is to take them all with a grain of salt and just as a reference tool for matching guys up. Did Flo put Crookham at number one to juice the conversation for the week and maybe get ahead of the curve if he really does end up on top at the end? Maybe they did. But that’s the business we are in. Clicks and conversation are what fuel us. Am I mentioning Ryan Crookham, right now, just so Earl can use his picture in the header? You’re damn right I am. It generates clicks. 

What is the appropriate date for Christmas music to start? Salty Walkon 

The day after Thanksgiving. Frankly, I just don’t know why businesses even do this before then. Trust me, nobody is yearning for Jingle Bells on November 17. We all want our Mariah Carey but don’t shove it down our throats. Go full bore on Black Friday and we will all accept it. I have to think of everything around here. I'm tired of it. 

Keys to victory for the Scarlet Knights to pull off this upset end keep the Jagger Night streak alive? Dysen Gould 

There are a few paths to victory here. The simplest is probably a 5/5 split with a Soldano pin to cover any bonus point losses. In that scenario, I have it 18-17 Rutgers. But even then, some of those proposed wins are still tossups that you absolutely have to win and you’re asking one of them to be via pin. Sure, Soldano is a pinner but sometimes it just doesn’t happen. I’ll say this much; the new takedown scoring may severely affect the way the wind blows in this one. If VT can pull majors in their most favorable matches then it’s likely because of the new scoring rules. On the flip side, Soldano may not get a pin but his style may lead to various seven-point moves that will be huge on the Rutgers end. 165 is the pivotal match in this one. VT should be the favorite on paper, but Tony White is no joke. A win here in the home opener against a team like this could be just the thing Tony needs to get to that next level. The whole dual is just fascinating and could be on the shortlist of best duals of the year when the season comes to an end. Or it could suck. 

Jags, back in 2004, I witnessed a guy smoking between matches at the Scranton Open. Was this you or someone you know? Richard Mann 

I wish. Coincidentally, I was living in Northeast PA about 45 minutes from Scranton in 2004, but I was tending bar rather than huffing Bogeys at open tournaments. That was also a miserable time in my life and I will speak no further of it. I wasted so much time of my life serving old men beer in one-dollar pilsner glasses during the day shift. Just miserable.

So I started doing the whole doctor thing this week. That thing you do when you get old and have to actually put in an effort to stay alive. I don’t even know what else to say about that. It’s just this reluctant acceptance of the beginning of the later stage of life that has been on my mind lately. Then I think about how I want to live as many of those later years as I can. So why should I let the thought of it affect me negatively? I’d rather just enjoy life in the moment. I’m just getting warmed up, baby! It’s week two of wrestling and my football team fired that jobber Josh McDaniels. Things couldn’t be better. Now to your questions! 

Which weight class do you feel is the most wide open this season for a new NCAA champ? Kevin Claunch, Michigan Spymaster 

Well, I’ll narrow it down by picking any weight that doesn’t have a returning champ. So that takes out three, but I’ll just substitute 197 for 184 and make it four classes out. You can also toss out heavyweight because Kerk is a returning finalist and Gable apparently located his shoes. Let’s also toss out 141, 157, and the aforementioned 184 since they also have returning finalists in the mix. That leaves us with 125 and 149. And they are intriguing! 

149 is a bit top-heavy but 125 is just a mess of guys. You’ve got a mix of guys who have gutted out the Spencer Lee-era and a nice crop of fresh faces ready to make the leap. Literally, any of the top ten guys can make the finals. And that’s not counting Brayden Palmer, who beat the high school kid, who just beat the top-ranked guy, who beat Spencer friggin’ Lee just under eight months ago! Noto-Figs-Ventresca-Peterson-Poulin-Ungar. These guys want to show everyone that they are the guys here now. Guys like Barnett, McKee, and DeAugustino have been stalwarts here for years and they know damn well they have a chance at that title this year. 125 will be the most wild and unpredictable bracket this March. Not a doubt in my mind. 

If takedowns are now three points, why aren’t escapes 1.5? Doesn’t the sport need more decimals? Regular Guy 

Good question. We do need more decimals. And more decibels while we’re at it. I’m still not sold on the new scoring, but there’s certainly more scores of 14-5 than there used to be. 

Which freshman debut most impressed you last week? Dr. Rhino 

None of them. Alright, maybe a few. For starters, I’m fully on the Rocco Welsh wagon. I actually wish I was Rocco Welsh. I also sometimes wish I was Raquel Welch. Rutgers freshman 133 Max Hermes also had a nice little run at the Princeton Open and put up 41 points in four wins while falling to Rider veteran Richie Koehler 6-2. Kannon Webster had a nice debut with a tech and folks will be certainly keeping an eye on his five-date redshirt rule thing or however that works. Of course, the big story was the performances of a trio of high school kids who had runs through the Clarion Open. In a record-setting 14-hour-long tournament without a break, Bo Bassett, Marcus Blaze, and Jax Forrest made it one of the most fun opening tournaments in years. My guess is that Bo probably slept in until about 5:15 on Monday morning. He certainly earned it.

With the first women’s dual meet happening in Carver-Hawkeye, how long before we see a Scuffle/Midlands men’s and women’s division tournament? The Kid Smoke Drip Costanza 

Midlands had one last year, and would’ve had one the year before had they not canceled. Seton Hall Pirate 

Bad look for me. The Kid Smoke Drip Costanza 

Don’t beat yourself up over Pirate sticking his nose in there. The truth is that I forgot that they had it last year. But I also forgot what I had for lunch yesterday, so that might be a problem on my end. It’s possible I’ve also had too much smoke drip Costanza. I’m sure as the sport grows on the women’s side of the D1 level we will see more tournaments co-hosting them and even some more Opens of their own. 

Headed to England for the Phillies-Mets games next June? Kevin McGuigan 

Oh jeez, I don't even want to think about baseball and forgot this was even happening. Bryce Harper and Pete Alonso should show American unity by parading the Liberty Bell around the Brits like a trophy. 

Thoughts on Rutgers’ 2024 signing class. Dan Seifring 

Not bad. My guys are doing a good job hitting the other states and I’ve heard a lot of good things about Conner Harer. Alex Nini has always been a guy I thought had immense talent and should fit in nicely. Ryan Ford is Coach Dom trained. That’s good enough for me. 

Will Steveson get his head or his retired shoes cut off in the first episode of college duals? JP Pearson 

It would be funny if he just wrestled the entire season barefoot as a bit of a nod to the sacred tradition of leaving your shoes on the mat as a way of saying goodbye. Then he can still honor tradition while still wrestling. Sort of like a loophole. I also want multiple backflips after every match now. No more leaving us wanting more. It’s the last chance we will get to see the show. Give ‘em the works. These are my terms.

It’s Super 32 week and that only means one thing. It’s the first step of your impending divorce. Unless your spouse is also a wrestling fan. If so, nice pull. But some of us take heat after about 20 hours of wrestling in one weekend. I literally only took this job, so I could mask my wrestling watching as research. Nah babe, the round of 256 is crucial to next week’s mailbag column. I must watch this. I also answered some very important questions. And you must read them. There’s a test next week. 

What non-NCAA Championships/qualifying tournament are you looking forward to the most this year? 

What dual meet is a must-watch? 

Who’s your darkhorse to win an individual title this year? Vinny Termini 

I'm big on the Cliff Keen. The first month can be a little start and stop and once the CKLV rolls around you start to really see the meat and potatoes. All the duals are a must-watch. You can never miss one. I’m partial to ACC duals. I find all the team colors pleasant to my color-blind eyes. Shawn Kenney and Rock Harrison are a great duo, it’s just a vibe. You want a dark horse? I’ll give you Stevo Poulin. Because, why not? We know he’s talented. He made the blood round last year as a freshman. Is he ready to make the leap? Will he bring back the mohawk? Probably not. But he is a breakout candidate. 

New York has made it official and girls wrestling is going freestyle baby!! This now tips the scales in favor of New York over New Jersey. How will this decision trickle down to the rest of the country? Coach Matt Sganga 

Oh, you think you’re better than me? Maybe you are, I don’t know. It makes sense since the women wrestle freestyle in college. I can only imagine it helps the growth of women’s college wrestling since more wrestlers will now be acclimated to the style, thus, feeling more comfortable with competing at the next level. As we know, it’s a bit trickier to officiate a freestyle match than a folkstyle match. If New York proves that it can be done on such a large scale, I see no reason why it can’t catch on with other states. 

Is Penn State beatable in the NCAA tourney this year? Izman 

I doubt it. They’re carrying eight All-Americans as it is. Half of those guys have been in the finals. The other four have finished in the top five and are all finals contenders themselves now. March is a long way off but the numbers don’t lie. Iowa is clearly the closest contender and they will just have to try and beat them heads up. Or maybe Michigan has a better chance. Even though the Fightin’ Caels may run away with it, there are still plenty of good races to keep an eye on.

Now that the TV schedule has been released, need your thoughts across the board on best matches, broadcasters, and Jagger Night. Nick Kosko, Voice of Rutgers Wrestling 

You mean other than Rutgers getting the shaft by not getting any National broadcasts at home? I get that it’s a tight schedule but the best you could do for America’s Team is an away dual against Penn State? On a Monday night? At the Bryce Jordan Center? All I’m saying is, the Scarlet Knights continue to pack the sandwich arena and deserve a chance to showcase that in front of a National audience. But that just means more time for Nick and Matt Howe to shine! Here in the Garden State, we’re all about hospitality. We don’t give you two random students who don’t know the difference between a dual and a game or a player and a wrestler. We would never insult you like that. We will give you the finger on the highway if you do something stupid. You take the good with the bad. Other than that, it’s what you'd expect from a schedule. I like seeing Cornell get some love when they face Ohio State on January 5th. Nebraska is a fun team and they have five dates, so I can dig on that. 

Who could Jagger foresee having an LA Knight-like run to megastardom during the college season? Rhino 

We’re not doing LA Knight this week, ok. I don’t even know who LA Knight is. But don’t sleep on Jude Swisher. That I do know. 

Well, I’m about to swish on out here and try to finish this abysmal binge of Suits that’s been going on for weeks. Nine Seasons! Deadwood got three! There’s no justice in this world.

Welcome all on this chilly Friday morning to another edition of the mailbag. Teams are practicing and wrestleoffs are already being announced so the season is creeping up quickly. Today is my brother’s birthday and tomorrow is my other brother’s birthday. And while I know that neither is reading this, I still hope you both have a great day. In a few weeks, my other, other brother has a birthday. I have a lot of brothers. We’re like the Finejaggers over here. And we’re all getting old. But here’s to the three of you and many more birthdays for you all. Just remember, I’ll always be the tallest and best-looking. Now let’s get into this mailbag. 

Which are your favorite UFC Fight Pass wrestling events to be covered this season and why? Kevin Claunch 

I’m not sure I have any at the moment. The truth is that I didn’t get too excited over this whole endeavor because to me it’s just another service I have to subscribe to. For the sake of the sport, I suppose it’s a positive. MMA has a large fan base and with the success of recent wrestlers in the eight-sided circle, it makes sense to capitalize on that by trying to lure in some of that fan base. Streaming services need content. Wrestling has more than enough content to give and this does give a few teams who otherwise never get center stage a chance in the spotlight. And that's a good thing. 

If Carter Starocci goes like he is projected as a 5-time NCAA champ, where do you rank him all time? Jkos11 

Probably the 1B to Cael’s 1A as the best-case scenario. In my mind, you can’t topple the guy who never lost for four straight years unless you do the same thing. But for argument’s sake, let’s break this down a little. 

For Sanderson it’s easy. 159 wins in a row. Carter is on pace for about 110 matches total with an extra year. Advantage: Cael. Both guys took a redshirt so there’s no true freshman factor here. Now if Starocci won the 2021 title as a true freshman with a couple of losses and then ran off four straight, without a loss, I might think differently about this. And what of that shortened season? Did Starocci have an advantage by not having to deal with the grind of the full season? Would it have mattered? Seeing that he’s won two more since, I’ll say it didn’t matter. He was the best guy that year regardless. The bottom line is, the potential five-time NCAA D1 championship quest is a special thing that will likely be the rarest feat ever accomplished if it happens. Factor in the guys he has beaten and would have to beat to get there, it puts him in the conversation as the best ever. I just don’t think I can put him over Cael.

What venues should the NCAA announce the NCAA championships for the next cycle and why is one of them Boardwalk Hall. Aaron Bartlett 

Ha, that would be something. I’ve never actually been to Boardwalk Hall so I’m not sure if it is the best venue. Do they have suites? A couple of our more fancy fans enjoy the suites so they can look down on their minions for three days like Commodus in Gladiator. Lord knows that Atlantic City has plenty of hotels and a large surrounding fanbase so it’s not the worst idea. I just want to sit between the Brands brothers while they aggressively shout “Hit me” at the Blackjack table and slap each other senseless out of instinct. 

Short sample size, but does Jags like the expanded MLB playoff format with the first-round byes? Rhino 

It’s fine. Houston has no problem with it. Atlanta might have a problem with it. They certainly don’t have a problem with winning over 100 games to earn the bye. They just have a problem with winning three more after they earn it. But there is something to be said about sitting around for days while your opponent wins a series and gets to party and gain more confidence. I liken it to a guy losing early then storming through the backside and knocking off higher-ranked guys on the way to a good finish. Alright, maybe it’s not the same but you get my point. 

Am I fooling anybody with this combover? Salty Walkon 

Unless it’s 1984 and you’re a science teacher, just shave those scalp scraps and accept it. 

Will you be attending the UPenn v Rutgers match on January 6th in the Palestra? Asking for a friend. Kevin McGuigan 

Is that friend Matt Valenti? Thoughts and prayers to my fellow Mets fan for what he has to go through right now. I’m sure winning two NCAA titles was tough, but it’s not as tough as dealing with all this Phillies stuff.

The wait is nearly over. One more month and the college season is upon us. And not a moment too soon. The Mets. Trash. The Raiders. Worst team in the league. I'm not even doing fantasy football. All my TV screens. They’ve gone dark. But the light at the end of the tunnel is finally in view. I think we even have a few wrestling-related questions for once. Let’s get to them! 

If Jagger is writing the NCAA wrestling season script, then what is the main event on Saturday night in March? Rhino 

You want me to book the finals in October? Screw it, I’ll bite. I admit I haven’t done the best job lately of keeping up with who’s at what weight and all that so I took a gander at the rankings and finally there’s some turnover. Between guys switching weights and some free-year guys starting to clear out, everything looks shiny and new. It likely wouldn’t be the main event even if it happened, but I’ll throw out there Chris Foca and Shane Griffith at 174. Of course, one would have to get past Carter Starocci as he continues his march to five titles. No easy task. But a matchup between the two former Bergen Catholic greats would be quite the big deal, at least around these parts. I'll go even further out on a limb and pick one that might have an even better chance of happening. Aaron Brooks in one corner for Penn State. In the other corner, wearing the Iowa black and gold, it’s AJ Ferrari! I realize there are more than a few hoops to jump through before AJ can return to college wrestling, but this has a very real chance of happening. Don’t tell me you don’t love the thought of it. 

Is this going to be your new favorite wrestler? Seton Hall Pirate 

For those without the benefit of flash photography, Pirate is alluding to recent Cal Poly commit Jagger French. Quite frankly, I dig it. Along with Jagger Condomitti of Nebraska and Jagger Clapsadle of Ursinus, the Jagger revolution has officially begun. We coming for all the Caels. While we’re here, let me explain why I go by the name Jagger. Back in my much younger days, I had a knack for doing a whole Mick Jagger impersonation at the right time of the night. So much so that someone once played Start Me Up at a wedding just to make me do it in front of about 300 strangers. Then I needed to make an email for Yahoo or something so I just picked that name and it just stuck for all my screen names as the interwebs got bigger and bigger in the early 2000’s. That’s the origin story of how I came to be known by this moniker. I always hated the name Ian anyway so it’s worked out. 

How excited should I be for the Rutgers heavyweight transfer? Does the Jersey bump get him on the podium in March? Salty Walkon 

Bringing in Slavikouski was a good move for the Scarlet Knights. I liken it to when Greg Bulsak showed up to hold down 197 for a year and got himself on the podium. Can Yara do the same? I just don’t know. Currently he’s ranked sixth, but we’ve yet to see Nick Feldman do his thing and we have no idea what Gable Steveson is doing. And how does he hold up as a fifth-year senior in the Big Ten grind? Is he even aware of Jagger Night? He better be since there’s a good chance my perfect record may end up coming down to him a few times this season. Either way,

There's a chance he anchors what could be a very solid block of upperweights with Turley, Soldano, and Poznanski. That’s two former All-Americans, a blood round guy, and a guy who made the round of 16 in Soldano who is extremely dangerous out there. Do not sleep on Rutgers this year. 

How old is too old to wear Pit Vipers? Also Salty Walkon 

Since I’m 45 and had to google what they are, it's not a good start. After seeing these hideous sunglasses, I’ll say every age is too old. Grow up and get some aviators already. 

Word on the street is Pete Alonso will be a Cubbie next year? Will Vogelbach be able to pick up the slack and carry the Mets to the World Series? Indiana Mat 

We are not doing baseball today. You’re obsessed with Daniel Vogelbach. And Pete isn’t a free agent until after next season so you have to trade for him. I just don’t think that’s happening. Keep in mind, Vogey and Alonso are best buddies so you might just get both of them. Don’t cry to me when they both hit .215 in the middle of your lineup. But we aren’t doing baseball today. Call back some other time. 

Alright, Jagoffs. I apologize for my brief hiatus again but life is hard and sometimes we have to deal with it. I love trying to entertain you all the best I can and I hope you're still with me. I started this gig nearly two years ago and I’m still at it simply because of you readers. Have a good weekend and I love you all.

I was going to celebrate my 100th mailbag this week then I realized I’m still nearly a year away so scratch that for now. Labor Day is in the books and results will start trickling in. Who’s Number One was a great opener and next up is the Senior World Championships. The granddaddy of ‘em all. I’ll never be up at the right time to watch, but I’m sure it will still be fun. Alright, there are plenty more words for you to read below this so get to it! 

If Gable skips Worlds but wrestles college this season, is it the ultimate troll job to make the greatest heel turn ever? Thicccholas 

I have no idea what it is. And quite frankly, I don’t even care anymore. If I had my druthers, Gable would dominate the world for the next decade. Looks like I’m all out of druthers. 

Should/will the Illini bypass redshirt for any of this year’s unbelievable recruiting class? FSL Illini 

I think the trend of true frosh starting and having success will only be enhanced in the future simply based on the lawlessness of the transfer portal. And that’s not to say anything will happen at Illinois, but I think most coaches now have to think about how long they may have certain guys on the roster. You can’t just assume you have five years for four seasons anymore. Add to that the five-date rule or whatever it is and you’re now able to give guys a soft opening and make the best decision that you see fit. Is a guy like Kannon Webster ready? They basically have the first two months of the season to find out. Levi Haines and the redshirt-pull had a whole will they/won’t they for months last year and he ended up in the finals. 

Has it been released what duals will be on the Jagger Night slate this season? And what promo items will Rutgers be giving out for those nights? Fantasy College Wrestling 

I don’t choose Jagger Night. Jagger Night chooses me. That’s actually true. Many things have to fall into place for me to get down there. Plus, they only had like four home duals last year, so it was slim pickings. This year, I’m happy to report that Coach Goodale saw the power of Jagger Night and that they never lose when I attend so he went and loaded up the home sked this year and is tempting me to buy season tickets. Do I try to make a few more duals? Do I risk the streak a little more than normal? Does Tom Ryan want to see Jagger walking through that door when they do their East Coast swing? Was Swing the worst music genre of the last thirty years? Is anyone still reading this? 

Which NCAA wrestler most reminds you of the Detroit Lions? This question is going to age very well or very badly by Friday. Kevin Claunch 

I’m not sure I even know how to answer this. At least without insulting many of our fine college athletes. For answering purposes, we will use this current Lions team and compare them to a current team. Detroit is a young team with talent that is finally ready to prove that they are serious about hanging with the big boys. With a fairly new first-time head coach in the fiery Dan Campbell, Detroit is ready to run through a brick wall. This reminds me of Alex Clemsen, also of the fiery variety, and the Maryland Terps. Coach Clemsen has now had the time to put his stamp on the team and just like the Lions, had some very exciting battles last season. Perhaps this is the year they both breakthrough? 

Who is wrestling’s most insufferable gatekeeper? Jeffrey 

I also don’t know how to answer this without insulting anyone. But it’s probably Rhino. 

Do the guys at Spectrum think I’m just some dumb hick? Rhino 

For those not aware, Spectrum and Disney are in a spat. Apparently, Disney pulled all their channels right as the college football season started. Basically putting the horse head in the producer’s bed. What are they fighting about? I have no idea. I just know it will cost you more money while Disney starts a sportsbook through ESPN in the near future. That's right. Mickey Mouse is your new bookie. Don’t pay up and Goofy will break your legs. 

How far down the list of Jersey greats did they go when attempting to rename the Colonia service area before they realized nobody wanted their name attached to that Wawa? Salty Walkon 

Buddy, that is John Poznanski Country and you need to treat it with respect. Perhaps I’ll lend my name to the rest stop if nobody else wants it. Let me check out this Wawa first. 

I’m not very good at math. Can you please explain Kyle Schwarber’s baseball stats? I can’t tell if they’re good or bad. Kevin McGuigan 

He's quite the anomaly. He can't hit his own weight yet his OBP is more than Daniel Vogelbach’s weight. And that’s about all the baseball stuff I care to discuss. McGuigan, I got a feeling your whole team is going down.

Recently I’ve done something I never thought I would do. I quit fantasy football. Never thought it would happen. For over twenty years I’ve been doing this. It’s just become too much. I don’t have the time to keep up with everything and I’m not the player I used to be, so maybe it’s time for a break. Perhaps I’ll return but for now, I want to enjoy my Sunday without the aggravation. But what will football be like for me without any skin in the game? Will I care? Do I dabble in daily fantasy for a bit? Only time will tell. People always say the last thing someone wants to hear about is someone else’s fantasy team. Even more than that, nobody wants to hear about someone quitting fantasy football. So let’s get to the mailbag! 

What MAC wrestling preseason content has you most fired up? Also, any Big Ten storylines you are excited about in early September? Kevin Claunch 

All of it? With football now out of the way, I can devote more time to reading all the great previews and insights that this site provides. I have to be honest, I don’t have the slightest idea what goes on in the MAC other than that Zeb Miller loves it. I will try to remedy that this year. In the Big Ten, it’s all eyes on Iowa. After a whirlwind offseason where they got in with the Ferraris, dabbled in Gable, and had a gambling scandal, they also revamped their roster with a ton of transfers. What will the Hawkeyes look like post-Spencer Lee? Iowa seems to have had the same team for a decade. It will be very interesting to see some fresh faces out there but I will miss Max Murin’s bruised and battered face. 

What country would you like to see have a very sustainable wrestling team? Mat Jerms Media 

I often wonder why England doesn’t have a legit team. I don’t even know if they have a team at all. One would think that a country so rich in the history of combat sports would field a legitimate wrestling team. From Queensbury Rules boxing to Catch-as-Catch-Can Wrestling, You would think the lads would have a rich history in Freestyle and Greco-Roman. Well, they do have a rich history but it’s just that. History. England needs to fire up the Snake Pit in Wigan and get in the game so we can just kick their asses like we always do. 

How many tournaments do you think Journeyman Wrestling could run in one full calendar year if he didn’t have to tend to the animals on his farm? Kevin McGuigan 

All of them? Although I worry the alliterative names of the tournaments will quickly jump the shark with overkill. It’s not easy to do proper alliteration. Armbar At The Armory? Excellent title. The Scrap In Sicily? Not so much. Maybe Sizzle In Sicily works better. Either way, you can’t deny the work that Frank Popilizio has put in. A true man’s man, who could kick my ass. I only have one question. When do we get Fury On The Farm? 

You get out of your time machine in 1986. You have enough money for one ticket. Left field line, nine rows up, five seats in. Do you buy Game 6 or Game 7? Salty Walkon 

Game seven, easily. I was already at game six so I know how that goes down. Unfortunately, a time machine is the only way I’m gonna see the Mets win a title. Just a brutal season.

And now, all I hear about is how Phillies fans, who claim to be so tough that they boo Santa Claus, yapping about how they saved Trea Turner with juice boxes and belly rubs. What has this world come to? 

Ok you Jagoffs, it’s September and the wrestling is about to start heating up. Who’s Number One is this weekend and it should be good. Also, in case you were wondering, I’m number one. It used to be Nelly and now it’s me.

Howdy all and welcome to the InterMat Jagger Mailbag, brought to you by Carl’s Jr. I deeply regret missing last week but sometimes real life gets in the way. But now I have returned and I’m ready to start cranking out mailbags once again. A few of you reached out to me personally and I do thank you for that. As the wrestling world is focused on the U20 World Championships, some news from the college scene dominated the day so let’s get right into it. 

Should it be Tony time? Rhino 

Let’s just get into it, since this is big news for any time of year and it happened to come out in August. Perhaps even play a bit of devil’s advocate along the way. First and foremost, yes. Tony Ramos, who has already been named the North Carolina coach in the interim, seems like the logical successor to Coleman Scott. Continuity is important for a rising program and judging by some of the replies I got today, the team seems more than willing to support their new coach. 

So what of the Coleman Scott and OSU situation? Certainly, the timing is odd as we are roughly six weeks away from the start of practice. But I guess when the opportunity for a job that hasn’t been available in over thirty years you can’t just say you’re busy right now. That’s thirty years of John Smith disciples who at one point or another were likely mentioned as a possible successor. To end up being the name who is chosen to succeed John Smith is quite the honor, so I can’t fault someone for jumping at the chance. And what about this whole “coach-in-waiting angle?” Is the school on board with this? Did they give John W. carte blanche to pick his guy as long as he can mentor him on the staff? Will they pull the rug out from under them when the time comes? And when is that time? Is this the last year of John Smith? Two more years? Three? I guess we just have to wait and see. 

If you could pick one famous non-wrestling venue to host a dual or tourney what would it be? Mat Jerms Media 

That’s a good one and I’ll have to think about it for a minute. By non-wrestling you basically mean any non-sports venue. I thought that one dual at Moss Arts Center with Virginia Tech was pretty cool. I almost feel like watching matches from that vantage point is even better than some seat in a gym. Definitely nothing outdoors. I loathe all the outdoor gimmicks. Maybe have one in the office of Old Dominion President Brian O. Hemphill. Lord knows no wrestling goes on in that venue. (This joke has been approved by Jason Bryant) 

When taking the Lincoln Tunnel from New Jersey, why do they make it so incredibly difficult for travelers wishing to reach South Manhattan? If you don’t make it into the right lane, you get stuck going uptown. What’s the move here? Kevin McGuigan 

The move is to screw up the first time and never make the same mistake again. I plan my spot about two miles before the tollbooth depending on what direction I’m going, then stay as far that way as possible to avoid getting sucked into the hellscape funnel entering the tunnel and coming out on the wrong end. If you’re headed uptown stay to the left and if you’re going downtown then stay all the way to the right.

Did you see the Michael Lorenzen no-hitter? What did you think about Westin Wilson's first MLB swing a home run? Mickadelphia 

This is actually why I needed a mental health day. 

What’s the O/U for number of times the feed cuts out during Helen’s series tomorrow? Thicccholas 

Hope you took the over. 

I’m new to InterMat so excuse the question. Why is California not represented at the top of the NCAA D1 stand each year? Michael C. 

I’m just gonna go ahead and excuse the question.

Man, these are the dog days right now. We’re about halfway through the college offseason. Worlds are still a while away. Our favorite baseball teams stink. (We’ll get to plenty of baseball talk later) It’s hot out. Twitter, which is my entire livelihood in the wrestling industry, is now called X. You know, it’s hot out, too. So what better way to cool down than read the mailbag on a nice, cool, toilet seat! The first order of business is to pretend I’m Gable Steveson. 

If you’re Gable Steveson, what do you do over the next year to balance WWE and prepare for the 2024 Olympics and possible college? Earl Diesel 

Alright, let’s just break down the whole Gable thing because it truly is a unique situation. Here’s a guy who is a generational talent who left the college and freestyle fans wanting so much more for the fame and fortune of WWE like his idol, Brock Lesnar. But you have to remember that Brock left pro wrestling after a few years while being the top guy because he realized he wanted to do other things while he was still young. He knew he had the rest of his life to go back and now he’s out there every week at 46 years old. I’m not even that old and I wrestled with Abe Lincoln. So what was the rush? Well, two college titles and Olympic gold would probably have you thinking about your next move and maybe accomplishing that dream. So he goes. Leaving a year of college and another Olympic run that would actually come a year earlier now because of the ‘rona on the table. 

Now, nearly two years have passed and Gable is back in the news. Is he making his WWE debut? No, he’s coming back to make a world team. That’s awesome! Then he easily makes said world team. Fair enough. He’s still got it. But then things get crazy when he says he might return for one last ride in college. Ok then. Well, if your plan is to stick with this through another Olympic run then I suppose you can sneak in half a college season while you’re training. Not to mention getting paid some nice cheddar along the way. 

Then things really go bonkers as Gable starts showing up on WWE television with their NXT brand. Say what? So now the arguably most talented current American wrestler is starting his WWE career while teasing a return to college and being the current 125kg rep for Belgrade. 

So what does it all mean? I don’t think anyone really knows what it means. I will say that what you saw on TV this week has nothing to do with what his immediate future holds. Gable was never going to announce on WWE TV that he was returning to college wrestling. What we do know is that he makes his debut in the squared circle this weekend. We also know that he will be in Belgrade in September. We don’t know if he will return to college, but he has nearly five months to make that decision anyway. We also don’t know how much allowance WWE will give him in these future endeavors? They’ve made quite an investment in him already, so I assume they don’t want him bouncing back and forth between worked wrestling and shoot wrestling for too long. 

If you want to see Gable in the ring then watch the Great American Bash this weekend. If you want to see Gable on the mat then tune into Flo come September. Beyond that is anyone’s guess. My guess is that if he takes gold this year then he makes an Olympic run and walks away for good. I don’t see the college thing happening.

What’s the best Jersey musician/Jersey wrestler comparison you can think of, and why? Kevin Claunch, Michigan Man 

Burroughs is easily Springsteen. Both are not only the best to come out of the state but the best in the world at what they do for an extended period of time. Steve Mocco can be Frank Sinatra. The two Hudson County products are fascinating individuals and people tell stories about them that have become legend. Gene Mills can be Frankie Valli. 

Who do you think were the most impressive wrestlers at Fargo and who were your breakout athletes? SAB 

I admittedly didn’t follow Fargo like some others, but I enjoyed some of the big guys. Connor Mirasola, oh look, he’s going to Penn State. Glad they’re finally getting some great recruits. For the young guys, Dreshaun Ross is the next two-sport star from Iowa and Mocco Jr. (Michael) will be fun to follow. 

Barbie or Oppenheimer? Mickadelphia 

Haven’t seen either yet! I may go See Barbie this weekend if Lady Jagger wants to go. Just need to dye my jorts pink and I’m ready to go. Ok, let’s get into the baseball for a minute. 

Daniel Vogelbach will need something to do during the Winter. How many matches would he win for Rutgers at heavyweight? Indiana Mat 

Why would he need something to do during Winter? Because he won’t be in the playoffs? There are no playoffs during Winter. You blew your entire burn. Here’s a better question. Will you be alive when the Cubbies win their next title in 2124? 

Should the Red Sox be buyers or sellers at the deadline? Mark Rhino 

Eh, that’s a tough one. You’re a game and a half out of the wild card at press time, so you are absolutely in the hunt. But are you a championship team? Who exactly are you selling? You aren’t rebuilding right now to the point of tearing it down. Do you send a message to the spoiled Boston fans that you aren’t trying to win this year? They’d be throwing their Dalbec jerseys into the harbor! The toughest part of this time of year is being within range of a playoff spot yet knowing that you probably won’t make it and really not likely to win it all. But the Phillies proved last year that you just need to get in and anything can happen. My verdict: light buyers and heavy on infield defense practice because that team can’t catch. 

Are you willing to adopt Cincinnati for the rest of the season since the Metropolitans are dead in the water? Jon Lareau 

I don’t know. Maybe. Definitely, if they face any of the teams that I really don’t like. Tampa Bay has long been my fallback team, but not sure I like them much anymore. I could see myself backing Baltimore. Or I could just not watch the playoffs and go on with my life. I am happy that the Reds are back. America’s oldest team should be a top franchise. So should Baltimore. Let’s bring back the 70’s when these teams were juggernauts. 

How are you staying cool through this heat wave? Fantasy College Wrestling

By reading the FCW year in review of course! Or whatever you are calling it. If you’re jonesing for some college wrestling info, my man TD has you covered right here. I hope Earl tagged the link right there or I’m gonna look like a bozo. 

As for the heat? I admit it’s been pretty bad lately. But when I’m out there sweating and ready to pass out, I just remember that I did four years of high school wrestling nearly 30 years ago. Everything else is gravy. Two years of middle school wrestling made JT Realmuto a great baseball player and it made Jagger great at drilling holes in stone when it’s triple-digit outs. Have a good weekend, all. I’ll be soaking in an ice barrel.

Before we get going here, I just want to say a few things. Break a little kayfabe if you will. If you’re familiar with my online personality then you probably know that I have a knack for picking a random enemy to troll for a couple months or so here and there. I just want to apologize to those few who I have gone after over the years. It’s not who I am in real life and not who I want to be in fake life. Sometimes we forget that there's still a human being behind the social media name and nobody wants to be harassed daily. The wise philosopher Thor once told Loki that “life is about growth and that he seems content with just staying the same.” 

I don’t want to be a Loki. I want the power of Thor. So, I’ll try to turn over a new leaf. Will it work? I doubt it, but I will try. Also, turning over a new leaf is a stupid phrase. Why would you turn over a new leaf? You should be turning over the old leaf that has the ugly side showing. A new leaf is just a new leaf and we don’t know what it means. Anyway, I'll try to be more cordial from here on out and see if it works. Unless it’s Seton Hall Pirate. Shane Sparks and I will get our revenge for that Abacus debacle. Ok, I think there are some questions that vaguely reference wrestling down here. 

Shane Sparks was tweeting about the lightning-like atmosphere at the 2018 PSU/OSU dual. That Friday night big time matchup on BTN was a lot of fun. What dual this year will light Jag’s cigarette in regards to the dual schedule? Jkos11 

I try to put the kibosh on hating and you ask me to look up schedules in July? This love-fest crap ain’t gonna be easy. The short answer is Iowa against everyone but specifically against Iowa State. I always look forward to that one and the storylines between the teams are growing more than Adam Fellers’ hat brim. That’s it. That’s the only dual I care about this year. 

Jagger, you’ve been noticeably silent about the issue of Crocs. We need you on record. Footwear essential or footwear faux pas? Tsabolov Brands 

I actually saw the largest pair of Crocs I’ve ever seen the other day and immediately thought of how you’d be in shambles over it. I swear these things had to be a size 16. My take on Crocs? They’re hideous to look at. Have I worn them? I’m scared I’ll fall in love with them because they’re probably comfortable. I dealt with this once with Zubaz in the early 90’s. How did it turn out you ask? Lil’ Jagger’s sixth-grade class picture is drenched in striped parachute pants for all of eternity. I won’t make that mistake again. 

What local food item would you pick to have them sell at the arena where Rutgers wrestles? Mat Jerms Media 

You mean Jersey Mike’s Arena? I feel like Jersey Mike’s subs would make sense. I think they even have one already, but I don’t go walking around the place to see. It’s usually straight through the door to find my guys Dan Seifring and Brian Miller and we watch the Knights put up another victory because as we all know Rutgers has never lost with Jagger in the building. Seven wins and counting!

Thinking about the Zuckerberg-Musk MMA fight. Who had a better chance of making the lineup? Zuckerberg 2002-2004 Harvard or Musk 1995 Stanford. Mickadelphia 

I would appreciate it if you stopped thinking about it. It’s bad enough that we are caught in the middle of a social media war between these two bozos and don’t need to give them any more attention. One guy carves up and botches a perfectly fine working service and the other 

one creates a new one that sucks just as much. I hope Tom from Myspace runs in and hits them both with a chair. 

I’m going on a second-first date to WWE Smackdown this Friday. What are your predictions for Friday night’s matches? Rachel Gallardo 

A second first date? Is that like repeating eighth grade for dating? Speaking of repeating, Bianca Belair gets a rematch with Asuka for the title she recently lost to The Empress. Will Iyo Sky cash in her briefcase and try to steal the strap? I assume she makes her presence known, but barring Asuka getting knocked out by Charlotte Flair, I don’t see it happening. The Bloodlines are in shambles at the moment with Jey Uso in line for a title shot, but don’t be surprised if the man they call Goldberg shows up and nudges his way into SummerSlam; which will probably be your third-first date. 

Any hope for the Mets heading into the second half? Hopefully, my Buccos can get it together. Dysen Gould 

Son, there’s no hope for us. At least not for me but I’m used to it. I’ve been hardened by the years of losing. Someday you will, too. I told you not to gloat to Earl after beating the Nationals in April. Now you pay the price. 

Well friends, its another Friday is in the books. It’s the height of Summer. And that means it’s Fargo time. They have beach wrestling! In North Dakota!

Good morning, Jagamaniacs. I hope you’re all still here after a brief hiatus. A Jagger June Swoon if you will. But fear not! We have some questions and we have some answers. Jagger is back on the bowl with you! Let’s get to it! 

Every year the question begins to float around that USAW should move Fargo to a different location. If you had it your way, where would you move the U16/U20 National Championship? Christian Olanowski 

Are they trying to give Jason Bryant a heart attack? The man moved from beautiful Virginia to cold Minnesota just to get that Fargo vibe all year. I can’t say I’m privy to the nuances of the Fargo experience, but I can’t see why it’s worth moving. I get that it’s a bit far but it’s kind of equally far for everyone. It’s also in the dead of Summer so going as far north as possible isn’t the worst idea. Also, it’s more than just a location. It’s a brand. It’s Fargo. In wrestling, everyone knows what that means. To start referring to it as Dallas or Topeka wouldn’t have the same feel in my opinion. But, if they were to move, I do think somewhere near Austin, Texas would be a good location. Basically due south from Fargo on the southern part of the Country. It doesn’t really make travel any worse for all the East and Western states while still maintaining a centralized location in the Union. It also couldn’t hurt to build interest in the sport amongst the people of Texas, which is a state that should be a monster, but isn’t. The biggest pro in all this would be the production that Flo could provide by having it in their backyard. That being said, let’s keep it in Fargo because JB told me he doesn’t want to do the Austin Almanac. 

What is one dream matchup, in your hometown, that might get you to venture into a large crowd? Mat Jerms Media 

That’s easy. Give me the best college version of Zain Retherford and Jason Nolf at the same weight. I really need to know who was better. Three years together and the only blemish in dual meets was one Nolf injury default in a highly entertaining and highly aggressive dual against Rutgers in 2018. Cael even got out of his seat a few times because it was so exciting. But I’m getting away from the point here. College Zain and College Nolf. That’s my dream matchup. I also wouldn’t turn down Kyle Snyder and Gable Steveson. John Foster just had a heart attack reading that. Speaking of Jason Nolf... 

Will Nolf head for a different setting after his loss to Dake? Seems like a change in scenery might help? Steven Ruhf 

This has been a question ever since Kyle Dake took his talents to Happy Valley. I simply don’t think it will happen. Sure, you’re the number two guy in the land and your club brought in the number one guy. But if the number one guy came to your club to get better, then I can’t see somewhere else being able to make you better than him. It’s a bit of an awkward situation, but I'm under the impression that 2024 will be the last hurrah for the Dakes and Taylors of the world anyway. If so, you only have one more year of your main competition in the room before you ascend to that spot. I don’t think Jason has hit his freestyle prime yet and that peak may just coincide with the post-Dake era and maybe a couple World Titles for the Courteous Killer from Kittanning. 

How does comrade Jagger feel about the entire Ferrari family of vehicle and wrestling operations moving to Iowa City? Fred Bear Bulldog 

You sure do have a way with words, my friend. You want my opinion on the Ferrari/Iowa angle? I have many but I’ll keep it at this, they’re not going to change for anyone. Not for you, not for me, not for John Smith, and not for the Iowa fanbase. When they win, which they do plenty of, they're gonna let you know they won. You can do that when you win. Some walk off the mat quietly and some have a six-part celebration routine. Some fans prefer the former and other fans prefer the latter. All fans prefer winning so those who will benefit probably won’t be bothered that much by it. As far as off-the-mat stuff, if there are issues, then I assume it will just take care of itself. They’re exceptional wrestlers. Some are going to love them and some are going to hate them. They know that and they don't care. I’ll just sit back and enjoy the show and you should, too. 

Now that you are an international criminal and likely on the Interpol watch list, will this have any effect on the Jagger Bag and will the Bronx Attorney represent you at the Hague? Jkos11 

Why do you think I haven’t done a mailbag in two weeks? Had to keep a low profile after one of my German Jagoffs complained that I said they cut off Kendall Roy’s head in the first five minutes of the Succession finale. Luckily, my esteemed lawyer, Will Forrero, aka The Bronx Attorney, was able to prove that it was just a bit by displaying multiple tweets as evidence that I’ve claimed many heads were removed in various shows and movies that didn’t actually happen. Once the judge realized they did not cut Luigi’s head in the first five minutes of the Mario movie, she threw the case out and now I have returned. I’ll tell you whose head they did cut off in the first five minutes, the friggin’ New York Mets. Ruined my entire summer.

Final X is finally here and I’m finally doing consecutive mailbags for the first time in an eternity. What do you want from me? It’s a slow period. But not this week! The powers that be put the pinnacle event of senior wrestling in the greatest state in the Union and I need to pull my weight. So while you’re driving to Jersey today, take a gander at this week’s mailbag. Feel free to read it out loud to anyone else in the car. 

What are your thoughts on the NCAA rule changes? What do you like and what don’t you like? Dan Seifring, WrestleStat and Tik Tok influencer 

I don’t really have an opinion until I see it all in action. Certainly, the three-point takedown is an entire shock to the system. Takedowns are the standard in folkstyle scoring and they’re worth two points. Always have been. It’s like randomly making a touchdown 11 points. Or a three-pointer into a six-pointer. You’re changing the entire dynamics of the sport. In the long run, it may be the right move but it’s simply going to take heat for a while from a fanbase that was raised on the shouts of “two!” from the crowd. Now don’t me wrong, eventually, there will be a match where someone storms back from a large deficit because of the change and I’m sure it will be exciting for all of us. But mostly I think it leads to more major decisions. For now, I’ll go in with an open mind but that doesn’t mean I won’t end up hating it. 

Baseball managers in college and pros wear the team’s uniform while coaching their teams in games. Should college and national team coaches wear their team’s singlet while coaching in their corners? Mike Abromitis 

People always make fun of the manager for wearing the uniform, but I love it. It makes the whole spectacle of arguing with the umpire even funnier when you’re throwing a tantrum and acting beyond the modicum of any sane human being while wearing tight baseball pants. Would it have the same comedic effect in wrestling? Probably even more so. And that’s why it’s probably not a good idea. 

What’s your favorite beer? Luke Kemerer 

I don’t always drink beer...but I used to. When I did I usually tapped the Rockies for the Silver Bullet. In a summer barbecue-type atmosphere, I usually go for Corona with a lime for that whole beach vibe. I kind of want a beer now, the Mets just blew another game? Make it a case. 

Who are your Men’s Freestyle picks? Earl in VA 

The problem with having such a great team is that it doesn’t leave much room for surprise in the qualifying portion. How do you pick against any of the seven returning medalists? I could see Zane Richards making things interesting, but Gilman is in his prime right now. Arujau has been the best wrestler in the entire country for the year of 2023, but Garrett looked as good as ever at trials. I’ll still take Vito two-nil to make his first Senior Team. He’s just too damn good right now. Yianni-Lee will be the best series of the event. I’ll take the four-timer in three very exciting matches. 

It’s straight chalk for the next four matches, but I do think 74 and 79 could possibly go to three matches. The Dake-Nolf dynamic is just fascinating and it’s fun to see how much Nolf closes the gap each year. Not to mention the whole being teammates thing. Chance has proven he can win, but I’ll pick someone other than Burroughs to make a world team the year after Burroughs retires. Aaron Brooks may be the future of 86 kilograms, but Saturday is a little too near future. 

92 kg is obviously the biggest toss-up on the slate, but I’ll take Mike Macchiavello in three. I just don’t know if Zahid can keep going up in weight like this. He once wrestled at 103! The Burroughs rule also applies to Kyle Snyder, but he hasn’t been challenged for his world spot like this in some time. Snyder and Cox close the night with a third match that will bring the house down. Also, give me Gable as a sneaky pick to make the team. The brother of NXT Superstar Damon Kemp has shown a talent for the mat and could have a bright future if he sticks around. 

Well, the Canadian smoke seems to have cleared, could be some Jagger smoke lingering, but that won’t hurt you too much. Enjoy the Garden State and all its charms but get out of here as soon as possible. It’s plenty crowded already.

Welcome all to the first mailbag of the month of June and that means it's a glorious time for all the Freestyle and Greco marks out there. I'm still more of a folkstyle guy and even I can't think of a reason why I should be. Maybe I'm just more used to it and enjoy the slower pace. Maybe it's the structure of a season with teams that I prefer. Maybe I have a sick fascination with headgear. Perhaps I just like a good ride. But for now, I'll let you FS and Greco buffs have your fun. Come November, we are putting in double boots and watching that clock tick up for that sweet riding time. Enjoy all that high-paced action while you can. Ok, let's get to the questions.

If wrestling had a skill-based tiebreaker like a penalty kick shootout in soccer, what would it be? Regular Guy

Not the ball grab, that's for sure. I'm thinking something like the old pro wrestling test of strength. Give me a dramatic clasping of the hands where you have to bring your opponent to his or her knee for three seconds in order to win. Think about that pop when Trent Hidlay starts rising up on a two-count and hoagies up for the win. The place would erupt!

Have you ever been to the Betsy Ross House and do you know what vexillology is? Kevin McGuigan

I have not but I know they have a Betsy sewing a flag at all times. I actually went to prom with Betsy Ross and she made her own dress. Such a showoff. Of course, I know what Vexillology is. It's the study of flags and their meaning. What's vexing to me is why anyone would admit to being one but our buddy and head coach of the Ursinus Bears, Joe Jamison, has recently admitted to being a massive Vexillophile. The message boards are saying he's being recruited by Flags of the World (FOTW), The Flag Research Center(FRC), and of course The North American Vexillological Association (NAVA). With Sheldon Cooper as their bagman, I don't know how NAVA misses out on this prospect.

Since baseball is in full swing, who is the greatest team of all time? And why is it the 1986 Mets? Little Pun

Because they won 108 games and the World Series on zero sleep for the season. Did they have a little powdery help? Sure they did. But we're talking about no sleep at all from April through October. What does this have to do with wrestling you ask? Well in 1986 Mark Schwab finished fifth at 118 pounds for Northern Iowa. That same Northern Iowa is now coached by his brother, Doug Schwab. Doug is a huge Boston Red Sox fan. Who did the Mets beat in that World Series before they slept for four months? The Boston Red Sox. What does it all mean? It means I searched way too hard to find something wrestling-related in all this.

How's Joe Heskett doing and what can the wrestling community do to keep supporting him? Burger King of Kings

I can't say I'm privy to any information that's beyond social media but I believe he's doing well. His original GoFundMe is no longer taking donations.

Favourite Helter Skelter cover? Eric Asselin

Well, I only know the one by Motley Crue so there's your answer. Dr. Dre and Ice Cube were supposed to do an album called Helter Skelter, but nothing came of it much to the chagrin of one, Earl Smith. Earl and Willie will also be at whatever age group qualifier they have this weekend. I believe it's the group formerly known as Juniors and also Seniors, but not ones who are that old. Like no older than 23. Probably 27 for some other countries, but that's their business. Anyway feel free to say hi to them and tell them how much you love me. Or tell them how much you hate me. They'd probably agree with you.

I've just about run out of things to say here and there's not much going on so let's get right into the mailbag. Unless you want my opinion on the new season of Succession. Disgusting Brothers for life! Alright, enough of that. Somebody is trying to cross golf and wrestling and we have freestyle to discuss.

Which NCAA champion would be your best bet to win The Masters? Fred Bear Bulldog

I heard Patrick Glory say he was a big golfer, so I'll go with him. I admit I'd enjoy seeing Carter Starocci smack-talk everyone who has ever placed higher than him in a previous tournament on his way to a green jacket. "Jordan Spieth! You should've killed me when you had the chance!"

Favourite Stones album? Eric "Red Rider" Asselin

That's a tough one since I'm not so much a fan of particular albums as opposed to their vast array of songs spanning fifty years. If I had to pick one, I suppose I'd have to go with Some Girls. Released a mere 22 days after I was born and only one week after my favorite Springsteen album, Mick and Keith show you how to do disco right with "Miss You" to kick it off and end it with a descriptive take on the jungle of NYC in the seventies on "Shattered". And if you're looking for some fun, may I suggest singing "Pizza Burger" instead of "Beast of Burden" the next time you hear that classic track. It's funny to me.

When's the next time a non-Big 10 program wins a national title and who will it be? Philly Phanatic

Boy, that's a tough one. The Cael Train is showing no signs of slowing down but they do have some punt years here and there where you can steal one. And it may very well be next year but I think it will be a soft punt if anything. And even then, you have to worry about what Iowa is doing and if Ohio State can put it all together with their loads of talent. And still, that may be next year with your answer being Cornell. I know, it's a stretch. But hear me out.

Brett Ungar is already on the verge of placing. Vito just won a title. Vince Cornella has some juice and can get you some points in March. Yianni is gone but Meyer Shapiro is ready to step in and at least recoup some of the points, so it's not a total loss. Julian Ramirez can go with anybody out there and is primed to finally get on the podium. Foca is a finals contender. Jonathan Loew should be back with a 2022 AA already on his resume. Jacob Cardenas just finished eighth this year. That's eight potential All-Americans and if they catch the wind just right, who knows what could happen?

Hardest omissions from the All-Jagger team? InterMat Dot Com

Sammy Sasso. Merely wanting Yianni and his four titles on the team was the only thing that kept him off. The Buckeye has been a model of consistency for years now. He never misses a match, never causes a stir, and sometimes takes his backpack to the mat. I appreciate a guy who's ready to go and you don't have to wait for him. As a guy who's given many a ride over the years,

I hate when someone is just lollygagging around when it's time to get picked up. I want your ass sitting on the stairs when I pull up.

Who is the next American world champ who hasn't won one yet? Clay Sauertieg, Bro Bible

This question could easily refer to men's and women's freestyle or Greco, but we will keep it to men's freestyle for the moment. I haven't quite soaked in freestyle season just yet but I'll toss some answers out there anyway.

Nick Suriano and Spencer Lee. The time is now for Nick to do something on the World stage if he can get past Gilman. Spencer is the great unknown. Vito Arujau would be an interesting guy to watch if he makes the team at an open 61kg. Yianni has already made a final and has the talent to win gold one day. But for now, my answer is Zain Retherford. I won't even go into detail about it. He's ready, has tons of experience, and shares a locker room with like four other world champs. I can't imagine there's a hungrier wrestler in America now that Boo Dryden doesn't have to make 133 for a while.

What weight are you most looking forward to at the US Open? Mat Jerms Media

I don't even know who's in, who's out, or what weight they're going at the moment. I've always been partial to lower weights if that helps. John Foster can have the big guys.

Who is the biggest portal catch right now and did you order your #WrestlingShirtADayinMay shirt yet? Jim Dutrow

The transfer portal has become as packed as a New York City subway car in the 1940's. Aaron Nagao just took his fifth-place finish and talents to the front of the line. But in my mind, Shane Griffith is still the top guy out there considering he has a title and saves programs. Of course, Nagao having three years left to Shane's one is a huge difference. Either way, we are headed for some unprecedented times in the NIL era and I'm not sure how I feel about it. You have to feel for some smaller programs that may develop a kid into a star just to watch him cash in elsewhere when the time is right. What's that now? Shirts for sale? Pulling out the credit card right now.

Who would win the Hodge if double barreling two cigs before every match was required? Roger

Austin O'Conner was born to do it. He's got the look. Then he would go jam on guitar with No Vacancy for the rest of the night. And that's it! Mailbag concluded. Until next time, take it sleazy.

𝐇𝐞'𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫.

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— Minnesota Wrestling (@GopherWrestling) October 11, 2022